Category: FFXI

Just when I thought things could get more fun, it became {Incredibly tough} for me to find a party invite for levelling. [:(]

It’s Saturday and I spent the whole day waiting for a party invite. While waiting, I watched Kyou Kara Maou on my second computer. At the end of the day, all I got was an invitation into a poorly formed english party. I ended up earning only 3000 exp points over the course of 3 hours.

This party consisted of a NIN/WAR (tank), DRK/WAR (damage dealer aka me), SMN/WHM (healer), BLM/SMN (magic burster), THF/NIN (hate control), RNG/NIN (damage dealer). As experienced FFXI players know, we had no BRD or RDM to speed up MP recovery, we have a slightly gimped healer, and one too many meelees.

But despite that, we managed to kill but have high downtime. Worse, the RNG refused to change camp spot even though the Robber Crabs at Kuftal Tunnels spawn near us. The neighbouring party had left and we were the only ones left. So we ended up with the SMN and NIN dead when a crab spawned while we’re halfway fighting another one. The SMN summoned Fenrir to attack the second crab that aggroed us but instead, accidentally hit a lizard.

There are too many other DRKs in my server. You have to have some reputation or good equipment or being a Japanese to have a high chance of being invited over the others. That, or I just have bad luck looking for a good exp party these few weeks. {/sigh} {/cry}

Feeling a little motivated today, I did a little shout in Jeuno for help with my second artifact armor quest. I just did one shout and in 3 minutes, received an invitation to join party. In it was another level 52 Dark Knight, probably the one who needs the quest too and a high level 72 Dark Knight, the one helping us.

Then I helped out with a bit of shouting and we got ourselves another level 40 White Mage, 52 Dark Knight who needs them boots too, and Evasama, lv 44 Black Mage for Warp 2 once the quest is over. It was quick and simple. Teleport-Holla, ride a Chocobo to Ordelle’s Caves, kill 3 Notorious Monsters and then it was over and I got new shoes~

Image taken from Allakazham

Later that day, I went to level my Thief job. I need the Treasure Hunter Job Ability. It’s time to farm for materials to sell for gil and buy myself some new equipment. Then I got asked down by a Linkshell friend to Crawler’s Nest for Selbina’s Rolanberries quest. Nice, earned 15K gil. But I left midway when I heard news of a Japanese forming an alliance to Xarcabard for the Genkai 2 quest.

When one hits level 55 without completing this quest, he cannot level to 56 and above. And considering this quest takes a lot of people, I seized the opportunity to ask to join them together with another friend in my Linkshell, Tatomi. It was fun and they were kind enough to return and kill the first Notorious Monster again when Tatomi forgot to receive the quest from the NPC, Maat.

Tatomi(Left) Seraphx(Right)

And again, my mind’s been feeling dull and blank. It’s all filled with thoughts of Final Fantasy 11.

Anyways, I acquired my first Artifact equipment last night, Raven Scythe, with the help of 3 LinkShell mates. Quite an easy quest and the Notorious Monster to fight was rather easy. We prepared for the battle at Giddeus by storing some TP. The party consists of WAR/NIN (Ladyrikku), BLM/WHM (Evasama), RDM/BLM (Puipuipui) and DRK/WAR (Wyred). Ladyrikku had 300% TP, me at 200%.

To begin, I traded a Yagudo Cherry to the quest point and the NM spawned out of the tunnel and jumped on top of me. High level Ladyrikku voked it, I used Absorb-VIT on it, start with Power Slash (120+ damage. bleah), then Ladyrikku unleashed Rampage (1000+ damage. wooo) and ended with Skillchain, Detonation (600+ damage. whoa). Forgot to check if the RDM and BLM magic bursted but we easily reduced the NM’s health by a good 90% with the above.

Funny thing was he casted Sleepga before dying and the 4 of us stood there waiting for the sleep effect to wear off. I panicked thinking there was a time limit to check the quest point for the quest item. But got it anyways.

Image taken from http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/

Still far from being able to equip it. I’m currently, a proud level 41 DRK. I’m grateful with the people mentioned above for their help and for tolerating the 30 minute delay ‘cuz I forgot to talk to another NPC to get a quest item before heading to Giddeus. Had to warp back to Jeuno, take airship to Bastok, talk to NPC, warp back to Jeuno, airship back to Windurst, talk to NPC and chocobo my way to Giddeus.

I got my Black Mage up to level 18. My target was 17 so I could learn warp. Good thing about warp is I can use it to teleport myself over far distances in future.

Now that I’m done with levelling my Black Mage, I went back to playing my Dark Knight. Had a tough time waiting for a other parties to invite me. And then a Japanese player messaged me (he knew a bit of english), asking if I would join him in Korroloka Tunnels. But the thing is I have to run to Bastok, which is rather far from where I currently am, Selbina. He said he wouldn’t mind waiting so without further ado, I set off to Bastok.

There were 2 other Japanese already there. Another English player, a White Mage, was invited and we all waited in Bastok Mines as party leader searched for a player to fill the last slot in the party. The English player got tired of waiting and left. But it wasn’t long till we found a Japanese to replace him. Good thing because White Mages are rather scarce.

The last person, a Warrior finally reached Bastok. He’s new to the game and it was funny to see how he acted the way I did when I first played the game and also as a Warrior. It was fun, teaching him to Skillchain and Magic Bursting with the other Black Mage. Note: Magic bursts don’t work if someone activates another Weapon Skill after the desired Skillchain and if 2 spells are too close to each other. I managed to pull off a second Magic Burst with the Black Mage on 1 skill chain~

Died twice and had the Summoner go back and change her job into a level 40 White Mage and come back to raise us. Felt a little bad and apologised but they were forgiving. ^^

At the end, the party leader brought us to the Altepa Desert for the teleport crystal and to Rabao to buy maps for Korroloka Tunnels and some other places. The party ended at 3am Singapore time, 4am Japan time. 4 hours of sleep till work but it was worth it.

Able to recognise most of Hiragana and Katakana now, still too slow in reading. A bit of Kanji too since they’re so “Mandarin”. I just need to learn more words. No point being able to read but not know the meaning.

I have in front of me right now, the latest Final Fantasy XI expansion, CHAINS OF PROMATHIA!!

At a special pre-order price of $50. [XD]